Looney hangs on for first Chicken Dinner victory

The 2019 LaFayette Chicken Dinner Golf Tournament came down to the 36th and final hole and this year’s version produced similar late Sunday drama.

Defending champion Gage Smith and Alabama golfer Thomas Looney both began the final day tied at 5-underpar and when the dust finally settled late that afternoon, it was Looney earning his first Chicken Dinner title by a single shot in the 84th edition of the annual event.

The tournament was held June 20-21 at the LaFayette Golf Course.

Thomas enjoyed a threeshot swing on the very first hole. His eagle on the par5, combined with a bogey 6 from Smith, put Thomas at 7-under for the tournament and dropped Smith to 4-under.

Smith would record three birdies and five pars to finish out the front nine, but Looney would put up birdies at Nos. 3, 6, 8 and 9 to record a frontside 30 and take a four-shot lead into the final nine holes.

However, the defending champion would make a charge to start the back nine. Three straight birdies would put him at 10-under after 12 holes, while Looney bogeyed No. 10 before coming back with a birdie at No. 12 to maintain a slim oneshot lead.

Smith took a step back with a bogey at the par-4 13th hole, while Thomas delivered a clutch birdie to push his lead back to three shots. He would extend the advantage to four with another birdie at No. 15, putting him in sight of the championship trophy with just three holes to play.

Smith, however, showed his championship pedigree with birdies at Nos. 16 and 17 to put the pressure on. Meanwhile, Looney went bogey-bogey at Nos. 16 and 17 and suddenly the pair went to the tee on the 18th and final hole, knotted up at 11-under.

But after coming up with a birdie on No. 18 last year to win by a single shot, Smith had to settle for a bogey 5 on Sunday, allowing Looney to put up a par 4 and win the tournament by a single stroke. Looney finished with a 66 on the day for a tworound total of 133. Smith would finish 67-67 for a 134.

Keaton Stanfield was the only other golfer on Sunday to post a score under par as he shot a 3-under 69 to follow up his opening round 72. He would be awarded third place in a scorecard playoff against Ethan Dendy, who shot rounds of 69 and 72 to tie Stanfield at 141. Dendy placed fourth

Matthew Cleary and Grant Langford, who also shot 67’s on Saturday, weren’t able to keep pace with the other two leaders in the final grouping on Sunday. Both carded 3-over-par 75’s in the final round, tying them with Levi Shelton (70-72) and Ty Cole (69-73) at 142. Shelton would finish fifth in the championship flight on a scorecard playoff with Cole ending up in sixth place.

A total of 77 golfers teed off on Saturday to begin the tournament.